Posted by Jenna Cameron | Thursday July 18, 2013

Each circus is a mixed bag of beauty, freaks, talented acts, and well, bad performers. This circus is no exception.

—Jenna Cameron

Each circus is a mixed bag of beauty, freaks, talented acts, and well, bad performers. This circus is no exception.

In a charming prologue we see a prima ballerina fall from a high wire in an old fashioned circus. Conveyed through black cut-outs projected onto a white curtain, the timeless imagery sets up the whimsical vibe of the play. The sets and costumes are of a quality that many of the travelling Fringe shows will be hard pressed to match.

A circus barker then narrates the journey of that ballerina, Lucy, in a classic "down the rabbit hole" story. Here we are introduced to the various characters in the circus.

Of note were, Zis and Zat the French conjoined twins whose superb timing and chemistry had the crowd laughing every time they stepped on stage, and Melda the Magician, the play's charmingly sinister antagonist.

Springs, the church company behind this performance, has a reputation for its award winning puppetry program. However, the choice to have just one key character, Ella, the Elephant Girl, performed by a puppeteer may have been a misstep.

The puppeteer's high pitched, nasal voice combined with her emphatic facial expressions, had both the audience and the actors struggling to decide who they were supposed to be interacting with.

The effect was a distraction from an otherwise comedic, colourful romp with a strong moralistic message about second chances. And in that spirit, I would give The Broken Ballerina a second chance, especially if looking for a play sure to entertain children and adults alike.